Book Trailer #1: Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Book Trailer #3: Island of the Blue Dolphins

http://animoto.com/play/sMet9ZyQSwzVjJ0oWbTytw

Module 3: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Summary

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig is the tale of a rock-collecting donkey who stumbles upon a great purple-pebble find while he is out one day. This discovery sets a series of events in motion as the readers and Sylvester discover the pebble's magic that will give the holder anything he/she desires. Eventually this magic comes to bite the poor donkey in the rear when he finds himself face-to-face with danger and makes a hasty wish to be a rock. After fretting over their son's mystic disappearance for many seasons, Sylvester's heartbroken parents go on a picnic at a nearby field. Little do they know this picnic will result in a beautiful reunion with their long-lost son. This is a wonderful tale about the dangers of greed and the importance of family.

Personal Impressions

I personally loved this book. The pictures were beautiful, not too simple or complex, which is why I think it won the Caldecott medal in 1970. Not only were the pictures very well-done, the story was also extremely well-written. When I read it to my three-year-old daughter and 19-month-old son, they enjoyed it (as much as a 3-year-old and 19-month-old enjoy most books). I think it has a great theme about greed and knowing what is truly important in life. It also teaches to be careful what you wish for, a concept that is shown in children's literature quite often. 


Professional Review

The following is a review of the book from School Library Journal.

Top 100 Picture Books #55: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

May 25th, 2012

#55 Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (1969)
32 points

I know a little girl who cried when she thought Sylvester would be a rock forever. I’m not sure what it says about me, but that made me love the book even more. The best books are a little scary, aren’t they? – Jessalynn Gale
Overwhelming anguish and transcending joy. Not common fare for picture books. A book in need of an Amber alert. - DaNae Leu

I’ve talked about the psychology at work behind loving one children’s book or another.  And no author better represents a person’s individual personality than William Steig.  When I print the full list of all the nominations that didn’t quite make it onto the Top 100, you’re going to be shocked by sheer amount of Steig on that list.  Everyone has their favorite.  Sometimes it’s The Amazing Bone (that’s my personal love).  Sometimes it’s Doctor De Soto (though not as often as you might think).  But nine times out of ten the title that came up the most was Sylvester.  That strange little story of magic, loss, and recovery strikes a deep chord in the hearts and minds of children and parents everywhere.
From the publisher: “One rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his own donkey self makes a story that is beautifully tender and perfectly joyful.”
I mean, just look at that cover image!  Name me one other picture book where the defining shot of the book is two parents desperately searching and querying their neighbors about the disappearance of their son.  It’s heartbreaking.
Now the reissue of this book did a rather wonderful thing that I’ve not seen repeated in any other picture book. When a “deluxe edition” of the book came out the publisher placed in the back the reprinted Caldecott acceptance speech Steig gave forSylvester.  This strikes me as a brilliant idea.  Would that every Caldecott and Newbery Award and Honor winner had this reprinted in their future editions.  For just a little bit of ink you get a pretty cool concept.
The Weston Woods video features the voice of John Lithgow, so I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t find a clip of it.  Here instead is a glimpse of a cool looking stage production of the same book:

Library Uses

I think Sylvester and the Magic Pebble would be a great addition to any class or school library. One example would be for the librarian to pair with the reading or language arts teacher and teach a mini-lesson on cause and effect. This type of lesson would be introduced in an elementary setting. In a middle school setting, the librarian could pair with the English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) teacher to do a research lesson on illustrators. I've done a similar lesson where the students researched different illustrators, viewed some of their work in various picture books, discussed medium and style, and then did a mini-research Q & A about the illustrator. It was a big success. I can see the same lesson running more smoothly when the librarian contributes.

References

Bird, E. (2012). Top 100 picture books #55: Sylvester and the magic pebble. School library journal. Retrieved 9 October 2012 from: www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Steig, W. (1987). Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York, NY: Aladdin Picture Books.

Module 2: Mr. Popper's Penguins

Summary

I'll be honest in saying that I didn't hear of Mr. Popper's Penguins until the movie came out. After watching the previews, I dismissed the thought of actually watching the movie because I thought it looked pretty silly. When I saw it on our reading list, I was drawn because I happen to love deciding if movies do books justice. I always take the side of the book, although I'm not always disappointed when it comes to the movies. 

Mr. Popper's Penguins is a hilarious tale of a painter who truly finds himself when he receives a mysterious shipment from an Arctic explorer named Admiral Drake. Soon, he receives a second penguin, who breeds with the first, and the Popper family ends up in quite a conundrum with 12 penguins rapidly eating through their limited finances. The family then trains the penguins and takes the show on the road. It ends with a big decision at the hands of Mr. Popper, who quickly decides to do what is best for his penguins, forsake the Hollywood promise of fame and fortune, and join the Admiral in his attempt to bring penguins to the North Pole. 

Personal Impressions

Atwater created a most delightful book when he wrote Mr. Popper's Penguins. I enjoyed it immensely and found that it was quite a quick read. I'll throw this in: After I finished the book, one of my 6th grade female students came up to me and said, "Mrs. Kline, guess what I am reading!" I asked, and she responded with, "Mr. Popper's Penguins because I saw you reading it!" It was a proud moment for me. I am constantly looking for ways to help my students want to read. I really do believe that everyone can learn to love reading; they just need the right book. Since joining the UNT SLIS program, I find myself working even harder to promote reading outside of school amongst my students. Apparently seeing me read helps to motivate my kids. 

Professional Review

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
{Gr. 1—4):

A penguin named Captain Cook arrives at Mr.Popper's house courtesy of Admiral Drake. The penguin is sad until the Poppers purchase a second penguin—Greta. Captain Cook and Greta have 10 chicks. "They were Nelson, Columbus, Louisa, Jenny, Scott, Magellan, Adelina, Isabella, Ferdinand, and
Victoria." The Poppers run out of money feeding the penguins and altering their house, so they become a traveling show—the Popper Performing Penguins. This book made its first appearance in 1938. lO'Minute Selection: Read Chapter 6, "More Troubles," which opens with the line, "The children were the first
to notice the policeman." The officer is responding to a complaint about Captain Cook. Later on, Mr. Popper tries to find out "what the municipal ordinance about penguins is." He gets nowhere. Skip to Chapter 8, "Penguin's Promenade." Mr. Popper takes Captain Cook on a neighborhood stroll. People refer to the penguin as a goose, a pelican, and a dodo. Mr. Popper and Captain Cook escape into a barbershop. The barber throws them out. Mr. Popper hails a taxi and they return home. The passage ends with "He went to lie down, for he was quite exhausted from all the unusual exercise, while Captain Cook had a shower and
took a nap in the icebox."

Library Uses

As for the library, I think Mr. Popper's Penguins has several uses. My first thought is to have a cross-genre comparison where the students read the novel, watch the movie, and compare/contrast the two by using a Venn diagram. One of our TEKS objectives deals with cross-genre comparison, and it is a weak point amongst the students at my school. I think the librarian could help with this lesson by playing a book on CD version, stocking the movie, and helping the students brainstorm the similarities and differences. I personally feel that librarians have a lot to offer ELAR teachers, and I think it'd be amazing to see what some team-teaching might do. 

References

Atwater, R., & Atwater, F. (1938). Mr. popper's penguins. New York, NY: Little brown and company.

Reid, R. (2010). Classics to read aloud. Retrieved 09 Oct. 2012 from: http://www.ala.org/offices/publishing/booklist/booklinks

Module 2: Corduroy

Summary

Freeman's classic tale of a somewhat ragged bear who longs to be loved by someone is sweet and appealing to almost anyone. I read this book to my 3 year old daughter, and she smiled when we got to the end because Corduroy finally had a home and a little girl to love him.

Personal Impressions

Being a huge stuffed animal fan for pretty much my whole life, I am a sucker for those stories that bring life to the lifeless friends that inhabit the rooms of most young children. I found this story to be a little sad but with a strong, happy ending. I think people can relate to Corduroy because he feels the same things children feel. I mean, what child wouldn't also want a home and someone to love him/her? Not to mention, it is simple to read but has this deeper underlying meaning of what it feels like to be accepted and loved. Freeman created a book 44 years prior that is still read today and considered a classic. As a kid, I remember a certain Reading Rainbow episode that featured this book. I didn't read it back then because I felt I was too old for picture books. I enjoyed getting to introduce it to my daughter a few days ago, though. She enjoyed it, too.

Re

Professional Review

Publisher's Weekly (2001) has the following to say about this book: "Fans of Don Freeman's work get a bang for their buck with Corduroy & Company: A Don Freeman Treasury. This hefty volume contains 1o previously published stories, including his first book, Chuggy and the Blue Caboose (1951), written with his wife, Lydia; Pet of the Met (1953), their second collaboration, drawing on Freeman's roots in the theater; and of course his solo effort, Corduroy (1968), starring the overalls-clad life-like toy bear. The 11th selection is the unfinished dummy and complete text of Gayelord, which Freeman was working on at the time of his death. A foreword by Leonard S. Marcus sheds light on Freeman's enduring contribution to children's literature" (Publisher's Weekly, 2001).

Library Uses

In a library, I think you could use this picture book to introduce the subject of theme. Students can listen to the book being read, hold a discussion about the author wrote the book, and key in on the overall theme being love and acceptance. The simplicity of the story makes it the perfect book to introduce theme to 2nd or 3rd graders. As a side note, theme is being introduced as early as 2nd grade at the schools in my district. Since it is such an abstract concept for younger learners, finding something simple that they can actually relate to is essential.

References

Publisher's Weekly. Corduroy and company: A Don Freeman treasury. Sept. 2001. Retrieved 9 Sept. 2012 from www.publishersweekly.com

Freeman, D. (1968). Corduroy. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Module 1: The Giving Tree

Summary:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a classic story about a tree that simply loves a boy and gives up everything for that boy in an effort to make the boy happy. This story is essentially the story of Jesus Christ, where the tree is the embodiment of Christ and humanity is represented by the boy.

Personal Impressions:

I found this book to be sad and sweet at the same time. After I read it to my children, I thought, "I think I know why this book is listed under Books Adults Love but that Aren't Necessarily Good Books. My kids enjoyed the book, and I wish I had taken the time to relay the religious parallel to them. I acknowledge that they, being 3 and 18 months, wouldn't understand it even if I had, but I still wish I'd said something to them about it. I like this book mostly because of the message behind it. The art work is simple but really cute. The story is actually simple but really cute, too. I wouldn't have thought to personify an apple tree, but Silverstein did. I think it's a fabulous example of personification; something I might be able to use to teach that particular literary device to my students.

Professional Review:

Publisher's Weekly (2003) says the following about Silverstein's beloved picture book: "The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein's classic parable of selfless love and devotion originally published in 1964, is now available in a larger-size edition" (Publisher's Weekly, 2003). 

Library Uses:

I think this book would be great for students to read and discuss ways they give. It could even tie into volunteer work or a Salvation Army angel tree display. The librarian could even blog about the book and include links to organizations where children and parents could volunteer. For older kids, they could learn about personification and talk about the theme. The librarian could pair with the classroom teacher in both instances.

References:

Publishers Weekly. (2003). Retrieved from www.publishersweekly.com

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

5720 Blog Post #4

I'll be honest in saying that prior to my enrollment in the online LIS program at University of North Texas this June, I considered myself to be very tech-savvy. During my first two years of teaching, I worked my way through a series of intensive technology projects and earned myself a Smart Board, document camera, scanner, and digital camera. Those were very challenging years school-wise because I embarked upon this journey to utilize technology in my classes daily; however, I grew up in schools that implemented only minimal technology into lessons. I was probably 10 when the Internet evolved into this world of information, and technology in classes was just not quite a priority. What I learned that first year of teaching is that if I am going to be successful in teaching my students how to be college-ready, job-ready, and life-ready, I have to meet their needs when it comes to technology.

Things have come a long way since those first two years of teaching. The tools it takes to appropriately and successfully engage students are a lot more extensive than just a few gadgets. Smith (2012) refers to today's learners as "digital natives," observing that because technology drives student engagement and learning in the classroom, "technology has been interwoven into the fabric of education" (Smith, 2010, p.619). As educators, instructional specialists, librarians, we are called to reach all levels of learners, utilizing every tool within our reach to do so, yet according to a recent study, even "pre-service teachers, who were themselves,  digital natives . . . lacked the knowledge to link Web 2.0 technology to classroom activities" (Smith, 2012, p. 619). Further, Smith's article makes the case that a lack of proficiency when it comes to Web 2.0 tools means those tools are not utilized in the classroom (Smith, 2012, p. 619).

So what can we do to keep students engaged in classroom activities?

Personally I feel and have always felt that the answer definitely lies in the area of technology. A wealth of free tools is available for educators to create, shape, and teach students. Most sites offer free tutorials that will basically walk you through the process. Anyone who is willing to conduct a little research or participate in the tutorials can master some of these really exciting tools. If technology is the answer to student engagement in the classroom, then why wouldn't educators be willing to learn the tactics to implementing technology in their classes?!

So, where do I stand when it comes to technology? I mentioned previously that I considered myself quite tech-savvy. The key word there is considered. While I still think I fall into the proficient category when it comes to the implementation of various forms of technology in my 6th grade ELAR classes, I have learned this summer that I have a long way to go. Ideas have been thrown in my direction that I'd never even thought about: Facebook for classrooms, an interactive blog, Wikis, and so much more! I almost can't wait to use these ideas this upcoming school year. And, I am overwhelmed at the thought that for everything I've learned, there's likely three more things I need to learn. Like the pre-service teachers in Smith's article, I am a digital native. I struggle with two things when it comes to technology: 1) knowing which tools to use and when to use them and, 2) managing my time so that I can fully learn the tools. I do believe my weaknesses are similar to the pre-service learners. But I also believe I have more knowledge about the various tools and how to use them. If technology is the answer to student success, then teachers owe the time it takes to learn, create, and implement new technological tools in their classrooms. At the conclusion of this class, I will still be a learner. I will always explore different tools to enhance student engagement in my classes. I will research, sit through tutorials, and complete projects because I want to offer my students what they all deserve--my best.

Smith, D. (2010). Making the case for the leadership role of school librarians in technology integration. Library Hi Tech, 28 (4), 617-631. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2199/10.1108/07378831011096277